Sectional ladder



Oct. 31, 1961 R. s. GURLEY SECTIONAL LADDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.22, 1959 Fig. 5

Rupert S. Gur/ey INVENTOR, Y 401 3;

BY 2M Oct. 31, 1961 R. s. GURLEY SECTIONAL LADDER Filed Dec. 22, 1959 v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Rupert 5:. Gur/y INVENIORI. g; "1

United States Patent 3,006,432 SECTIONAL LADDER Rupert S. Gurley, Box1186, Kodiak, Alaska Filed Dec. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 861,402 13 Claims.(Cl. 18223) This invention relates to improvements in sectional ladders.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an extension ladderwith sections one fitting in the other in diflerent extended positionsto form a straight extension ladder, one of the sections having stepsand the other having steps or rounds interfitting with the steps of theone section to hold the extended section in extended positions, and saidsections being adapted to be connected together to form a stepladder.

Another object is to provide an extension ladder comprising sectionshinged together for use as a stepladder, or as a straight ladder, and anextension section fitting in and interlocking with both sections to holdthe same in straight ladder forming position, and adjustable and adaptedto be fitted and interlocked in either section selectively so that thehinged sections may be used as a stepladder and the extension sectionused as an extension of the stepladder.

Still another object is to provide a ladder according to the foregoingwhich is of light weight, yet strong, and safe and which iscomparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in front elevation of a ladder according to thisinvention in the preferred embodiment thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view in longitudinal section of the same takenon the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and partly broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a view in rear elevation of the preferred embodiment;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view in cross-section taken on the line 4-4 ofFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a lock member for theladder;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the ladder;

FIGURE 7 is a view in rear elevation of the same;

FIGURE 8 is, a view in side elevation illustrating the use of thesections of the modified embodiment as a stepladder with the sectionsfolded;

FIGURE 9 is a w'ew in side elevation of the sections of the modifiedembodiment unfolded for use as a stepladder and drawn to a smallerscale;

FIGURE 10 is a view in side elevation of another modified embodiment ofthe invention;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a foot for the ladder;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a brace bar for maintainingthe sections of the ladder of 3,006,432 7 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 themodified embodiment in a stepladder forming position;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary view in perspective partly in section of amodified lock for the ladders;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on theline 1414 of FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged view in cross-section taken on the line 15-15of FIGURE 13.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and first to FIGURES 1 to 5 and11 thereof, the ladder, designated generally by the numeral 1, comprisesa female ladder section 3 and a male ladder section 5.

The female ladder section 3 includes a pair of rearwardly openingchanneled side stiles 7 and rearward-1y opening channeled cross steps,or rounds, 9 equidistantly spaced apart. The side stiles 7 and steps 9are preferably of rectangular cross-section and formed in one piece ofanyslight weight strong metal. Each step, or round, 9 has formed thereonan upturned bottom rear edge flange 11 extending between and terminatingat the side stiles 7. v

The male section 5 comprises a pair of side stiles 13 fitting andnesting in the channeled side stiles 7, and cross steps, or rounds, 15spaced apart in correspondence with the steps, or rounds, 9 and adaptedto be moved into and nested in the steps 9 to seat therein in front ofthe flanges 11. For this purpose, the steps, or rounds, 15 arepreferably, although not necessarily fiat and thinner than the rounds,or steps 9, the arrangement being such that the steps, or rounds, 15 arepermitted limited free movement in the steps, or rounds 9 to remove saidsteps 15 out of said steps 9 over the flanges 11, and the stiles 13 outof the stiles 7, and to move the stiles 13 into the stiles 7 and thesteps 15 into the steps 9. The side stiles 13 and steps 15 of the malesection 5 are also formed of lightweight strong metal and preferably inone piece.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the male section 5 may be placed in thefemale section 3 to extend upwardly out of the female section 3 andwhereby to form with the female section 3 an extension ladder with steps15 of the male section 5 seated in the steps 9 of the female section 3on the bottoms of said steps 9 and in front of the flanges 11, andwhereby the steps 9 and 15 are interlocked under the weight of the malesection 5 or of a person thereon so that the sections 3, 5 are connectedtogether in interlocking relation against casual separation. Obviously,by relative sliding of the female and male sections 3, 5 longitudinally,steps 15 disposed in the steps 9 may be moved clear of the flanges 11,the sections separated by moving the steps 15 rearwardly out of thesteps 9 over the flanges 11, and the male section 5 placed in the femalesection 3 in different longitudinally adjusted positions to variablyextend the ladder 1. Also, as shown in FIGURE 3, the male section 5 isslightly shorter than the female section 3 for placing therein betweenthe ends of the female section 3 so that the female section 3 may beused alone as a ladder.

Means is provided for locking the male and female sections 3, 5 togetherin any position of the male section 5 in the female section 3 comprisinglocking member 17 in the form of a rectangular, preferably resilientplug which can be inserted, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 in any step 9over the top of the flange 11 of said step and over the top of a step'15disposed in the step 9 so Referring now to FIGURES 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12,the

modified ladder, a shown therein, and which is designated generally bythe numeral 27 comprises a pair of like, female sections 29, 31respectively, each having a pair of side stiles 33 like the side stiles7 and steps, or rounds 35 with flanges 36 like the steps, or rounds 9.The pairs of side stiles 33 are provided with corresponding ends 34,38'hingedly connected together, as at 37, for relative swinging of saidsections 29, 31 into coplanar relation to form a straight extensionladder, as shown in FIG URES 6 and 7, or into face-to-face downwarddiverging relation to form a stepladder 39 as shown in FIGURE 9, or intoface-to-face parallel relation as shown in FIG- URE 8 to form a foldedstepladder.

A male ladder section 41 with side stiles 43 and steps, or rounds 44like the male section is provided for fitting and nesting in the sidestiles 33 and steps 35 of the female sections 29, 31 and interlockingtherewith just as in the case of the described ladder 1. The malesection 41 is shorter than the female sections 29, 31 and is adapted tobe moved and positioned into both female sections 29, 31 in interlockingengagement therewith and into bridging relation to the hinged ends 34,38 and the axis of the hinges 37 whereby said sections 29, 31 are heldin coplanar relation to form an extension straight ladder. A lockingmember 47 like the member 19 is utilized in this modified embodiment forinsertion in a step 33 of either female section 29, 31 over a step 45 onthe male section 41 to lock the latter and the female sections 29, 31together so that the male section 41 cannot move longitudinally of thefemale sections 29, 31.

The male section 41 being shorter than the female sections 29, 31 may beplaced or positioned in either female section 29, 31, for instance asshown in FIGURE 8 and locked therein by the locking member 47 so that.

said sections 29, 31 may be swung into stepladder form, as shown inFIGURE 9 or swung in such form into folded position 8. Also, the malesection 41 as shown in FIGURE 9 in broken lines may be placed in eitherfemale section 29, 31 to form an upwardly projecting extension of eitherside of the stepladder 39.

, Feet.49, like the feet 19 may be provided in the remote ends of thefemale sections 29, 31 for non-slip purposes and headed studs 51 areprovided on the side stiles 33 of both sections 29, 31 for connection ofthe side stiles 33 of the sections 29, .31 by notched bars, forinstance, as shown at 51 in FIGURE 12, which are adapted to fit over andinterlock with such studs, to form braces preventing the sections 29, 31when in stepladder forming position from spreading apart.

In the modified embodiment shown in FIGURE 10, a plurality of laddersections like the sections 7 and 29, 31 and including an intermediatesection 55 and end sections 57 are hinged together with the end sections57 terminally hinged to the ends of the intermediate section 55 forfolding of all of said sections into inverted U-shape with bevel ends 65on the intermediate section 55 fitting against bevel ends 67 on the endsections 57. Thus, the sections 55, 57 may be used to form a stand forsupporting scaffold planks, not shown, or for other purposes In themodified embodiment shown in FIGURES 13, 14 and, '15 a more positiveform of lock is provided than locks 17 and 47 for locking the step 59 ofthe male section .of either the ladder 1 or the ladder 27, in thechanneled step of the female section. In this embodiment a plug 73 isprovided, similar to the plug 17, for insertion in the step 71 over thestep 69 to hold the step 69 down behind the locking lip 75 of the step71, but, the plug 17 is provided with a narrow top groove 77 engageableover an internal top tongue 79 extending longitudinally in the top ofthe channeled step 71 having tapered ends 81 and which is preferablypressed downward out of the top of the female step 71. In applying thismodified lock the plug 73 is inserted in the channeled step 71 over thestep 69 and slid along said steps until the tongue 79 is entered in thegroove 77. This embodiment of lock may be used as an extra lock in thepreviously described ladders or it may be used alone.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A sectional ladder comprising a female ladder section havingchanneled side stiles and channeled steps, and a male ladder sectionadjustable longitudinally of said female section and having side stilesand steps movable into and out of the side stiles and steps of thefemale section in different adjusted positions of the male section tonest in said female section, said female section and male section whennested interlocking to hold said male section in adjusted position.

2. A ladder according to claim 1, said steps of the female sectionhaving upright edge flanges therein for blocking movement of steps ofmale section outwardly of steps of the female section.

3. A ladder according -to claim 1, and a locking member for insertion inone step of the female section over a'step of the male section to locksaid step of the male section in said step of the female section.

4. A ladder according to claim 1, said ladder sections having aperturedends for receiving pivot pins to pivot said sections together for use asa stepladder.

5. A sectional ladder comprising a pair of like female ladder sectionshaving channeled side stiles and channeled steps, hinge means pivotallyconnecting corresponding ends of said female sections together forswinging into coplanar relation to form an extension ladder and forswinging with angular relation to form a stepladder, and

V a male ladder section having side stiles and steps and movable intothe side stiles and steps of both female sections crosswise of the axisof the hinge means with the steps of the male and female sectioninterlocking to retain the female sections in coplanar relation.

6. A ladder according to claim 5, said side stiles and steps of the malesectionbeing movable into the side.

stiles and steps of either female section selectively whereby saidfemale sections may be swung into stepladder forming position, and themale section then movable upwardly into the selected female section toform an extension thereof.

7. A ladder according to claim 6, and means associated with said femalesections for retaining the same in stepladder forming position.

8. A sectional ladder according to claim 3, said look- 10. In asectional ladder, one of said sections having hollow steps and sidestiles opening rearwardly, and another section having steps and sidestiles disposed in relation to each other substantially as said stepsand side stiles of said one section are disposed relative to each otherand laterally receivable within corresponding steps and side stiles ofsaid first section.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the side stiles of said sectionsare parallel, the steps of said sections being spaced apart equally.

12. The combination of claim 10 including means carried by at least oneof the steps of said one section for References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Phillips Feb. 4, 1879 Couse May 13,1958

